The Rat with the Human Face

October 1, 2015

Gr 4-6-Three clever and likable middle-schoolers, Lyle, Dave, and Marilla, venture out in search of a rat with a human face. Bored at their after-school hangout the Qwikpick, where Lyle's parents work, the trio plan a quest to find a creepy creature in a research facility outside of town. They plan and scheme and break a few (minor) rules to get themselves into the basement of the lab, but will they be able to get out again? The story has a nice balance of adventure, crushes, and frenemy interplay that will hold the interest of a variety of listeners. Angleberger taps some realistic personality types and creates believable dialogue for them. The kids' invented game, "rhyme-jitsu," in which players "think of a rhyme that describes what's going on at that exact moment," is a lot of fun and could have practical classroom applications. Mark Turetsky's narration is varied for each character, pleasant to listen to, and easy to follow. VERDICT This is a nicely paced, slightly scary, but overall agreeable rat "tail." ["This series may appeal to reluctant readers, particularly fans of Angleberger's "Origami Yoda" books": SLJ 2/1/15 review of the Abrams Amulet book.]-Jane Newschwander, Fluvanna County Public Schools, VA

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